On Monday Judge Peter Kirwan cleared the way for construction to move forward on the 49ers stadium in Santa Clara. The Santa Clara County Superior Court judge ruled that the stadium financing agreements in question were “clearly administrative, not legislative” acts and, thus, could not be put up for a referendum. In rejecting Santa Clara … Read more
Last week Santa Clara Plays Fair filed its answer to the Santa Clara Stadium Authority’s and the 49ers Stadium LLC lawsuits. The opponents of a Santa Clara 49ers stadium are fighting Santa Clara’s assertion that the actions in question – the financing agreements for stadium construction – are administrative rather than legislative. In their brief … Read more
The journalistic record is mum about the first Santa Clara Showtime in 1982, the Dastardly Disaster, written by legendary Santa Clara community activist and journalist Cleo Stuckrath. However it must have been a roaring success because by 1983 Showtime was in full gear and everyone – community activists, politicians, dancing grandmothers, accordian players, you name … Read more
As the City Council considers changes in the way its members are elected, it’s a good time to reflect that this isn’t the first time Santa Clara has considered the governance issues that have come under scrutiny in the past year. In 1971 there was considerable discussion about whether Santa Clara’s then 20 year-old charter … Read more
By filing suit against Santa Clara Plays Fair’s (SCPF) petition for a referendum on the 49ers stadium agreements, Santa Clara jumped into California’s muddy waters of what’s legislation and what’s administration. “The [California] courts have never held that every action following a legislative act is administrative,” says attorney Matthew Zinn of Shute, Mihaly & Weinberger … Read more
French dramatist Alexandre Dumas once quipped “So heavy is the chain of wedlock that it needs two to carry it and sometimes three.” Or sometimes four, illustrated by Mission City Opera’s (MCO) wickedly delightful production last Saturday night of Johann Strauss’ popular operetta turning on adultery – well, attempted adultery – Die Fledermaus. The production … Read more
Next Saturday in Santa Clara will see an evening of practical jokes, mistaken identities, romance and revelry as Mission City Opera presents Johann Strauss’ (1825-1899) well-loved musical farce, Die Fledermaus (The Bat). The semi-staged performance at the Santa Clara Center for the Performing Arts is directed and conducted by popular MCO Music Director Michael Taylor. … Read more
Here’s a short primer of court rulings that are relevant to the current SA lawsuit. Impartial reading indicates that the county superior court is likely to rule in favor of Santa Clara. San Diego v. Dunkl This 2001 case is strikingly similar to Santa Clara’s. In 1998 San Diego voters approved Proposition C for a … Read more
Remember the Clipper Chip? Let me refresh your memory. Formally known as the Communications Assistance for Law Enforcement Act (CALEA), the Clipper Chip was the NSA’s 1994 attempt to “protect” telephone communications with a special, new encryption method. The only catch was that the government had a back door key to every telephone. But supposedly … Read more
The next time you enjoy a thrill ride or an entertaining show at Great America, take a moment to thank the late Sue Lasher, who, during her time on the Santa Clara City Council was a passionate and articulate voice for the decision that saved the theme park from a developer’s bulldozer. Lasher died peacefully … Read more